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Townhall
“The Jungle
Book” Review: A Magical Journey About family
John Hanlon
Apr 18, 2016
Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book may be a remake of the 1967 animated
feature, but it completely stands alone. This is a film that pays
tribute to the Rudyard Kipling book while impressing contemporary
viewers with breathtaking visuals and a strong cast combined with
Favreau’s strong direction and Justin Marks’ methodical script bringing
this wonderful tale to life.
The story opens with the youthful Mowgli (Neel Sethi) being chased
through the woods. It’s in this impressive sequence that Favreau hints
at the enormity of the world he’s created. When the animals appear
onscreen and start speaking, the strong effects team shows off their
work in a subtle but powerful way. There’s no cuteness to the way these
characters talk and there’s no strange effects involved.
Because of the nuance and the visual acuity of special effects, the
drama quickly overcomes any hesitation the viewer may have about
talking animals.
After a few brief scenes, the director welcomes us into the heart of
his vision in a scene where dozens of different species of animal come
to a small lake to drink together. It’s here where Favreau first
creates a true sense of wonder and majesty. Similar to the first shot
of the roaming dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, this scene magically shows
the power and wonder of these creatures onscreen and welcomes the
audience into an incredible visual landscape.
The main thrust of the story is established in this sequence as well.
After being raised by a den of wolves, Mowgli — a man cub who doesn’t
realize how different he is from the young wolves he’s grown up
alongside — is threatened by the monstrous tiger Shere Khan (Idris
Elba). Bearing a mysterious scar on the right side of his face, Shere
Khan thirsts for vengeance against this young boy. Knowing that Mowgli
in trouble, the wolves discuss his fate and — at Mowgli’s insistence —
decide to return him to the man village...
Read the rest of the article at Townhall
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